Dubai, United Arab Emirates, May 26th, 2022
The Apple-1 was the very first personal computer designed by Apple co-founder Steve “Woz” Wozniak and assembled in Steve Jobs’ parents’ house. A complete working example, referred to as “Schlumberger 2” Apple-1, will be auctioned online on eBay from June 2nd until June 12th, 2022. The Apple-1 is widely recognized as the most iconic and collectible vintage computer due to its historic significance and scarcity; approximately 80 of the 175 originally sold are still known to exist. Apple fans and collectors alike will want to get their hands on this piece of history.
The current owner, Jimmy Grewal, is an avid Apple collector and founder of The AAPL Collection – one of the most comprehensive private collections of vintage Apple computers and accessories in the world. The Dubai-based collector focuses on products from Apple’s first three decades, and the collection features numerous iconic, rare, and unusual products from the world’s most valuable company.
“I began collecting vintage Apple products in 1995 while studying at Duke University, but my interest in Apple and its products actually began forty years ago in Dubai when my parents purchased our first Apple computer,” explained Grewal. “Today our collection includes nearly 200 Apple computers as well as numerous accessories and memorabilia. The proceeds from the sale of this Apple-1 will be used to create more opportunities for the public to see the collection; either in the form of pop-up exhibitions or by the establishment of a permanent venue where it can be more easily appreciated by the public.”
This particular Apple-1 is one of the few remaining that has almost all its original components, is operational, and is signed by its creator, Woz. The computer is listed on the online Apple-1 Registry as #89 and is in remarkable working condition and comes with a keyboard, monitor and cassette player from the same period. It is beautifully presented and is ready to be displayed and operated without requiring any further restoration or configuration. It is one of two that were originally purchased by its first owner, an executive at oil services company Schlumberger Overseas S.A., circa 1977 in Rochester, New York. The first owner then took these two computers to Europe where they remained until The AAPL Collection acquired them from his estate via Christie’s auction house. This computer was most likely the first Apple product used outside of North America.
In 2021, Mr. Grewal had the opportunity to meet Steve Wozniak, aka Woz, who autographed the Apple-1. Woz chose to sign the CPU of this particular Apple-1 and was enthusiastic to see one of his creations in such remarkable condition. Only a few Apple-1 computers bear the signature of their creator, and this is the only example known to be signed on its iconic white ceramic 6502 processor.
“When the design [of the Mac 1984] was finally locked in, Jobs called the Macintosh team together for a ceremony. ‘Real artists sign their work’ he said. So he got out a sheet of drafting paper and Sharpie pen and had all of them sign their names. The signatures were engraved inside each Macintosh”.
Walter Isaacson’s biography “Steve Jobs”
Corey Cohen, noted technology historian and Apple-1 expert confirmed the authenticity of the “Schlumberger 2” Apple-1 and that it “appears in good working order.” Mr. Cohen’s comprehensive condition report will be made available to qualified bidders.
Recent auction results are a testament to both the desirability of the Apple-1, as well as the long-term value and appreciation opportunities for collectors. In December 2020, a similar Apple-1 was sold at auction for $736,862. The record for a public auction of an Apple-1 was set in 2014 when the Henry Ford Museum acquired an Apple-1 for $905,000.
“The Schlumberger 2 Apple-1 is in excellent cosmetic condition and the estimated value is between $464,000 to $485,000” reports Sellam Abraham, a recognized expert appraiser of historic computing artifacts. “This value is based upon an estimate of what this computer would be expected to fetch at public auction, taking into account its historical significance, condition, and rarity, as well as the expected demand, with a bias towards the higher end of this range because of the additional articles accompanying the computer, and the fact that it bears the autograph of Steve Wozniak.”
In addition to the computer itself, the lot includes all typical period accessories such as a monitor, power transformers, tape recorder, and a rare 1970’s designed Cherry keyboard in as-new condition. This Cherry keyboard, despite being one of the earliest designs of what has since become one of the world’s most renowned keyboard manufacturers, works flawlessly with the Apple-1 and has a distinctive “Cherry” key feel and sound. All of the accessories are in remarkable condition and have been restored to ensure optimal performance.
Also included are two early issues of Interface Age magazine containing full-page advertisements for the Apple-1, and articles authored by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. An article entitled “Interfacing the Apple Computer, by Steven Jobs” appears in the October 1976 issue and explains how to interface a printer with the Apple-1. The November 1976 issue has an article by Steve Wozniak entitled “Build a Simple A to D” also related to the Apple-1.
The auction will go live on eBay on June 2nd, 2022, at 09:00AM PDT (GMT -7) and will continue for ten days. The link to the auction listing will be available at https://aaplcollection.com/auction/ once the auction goes live.
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Members of the media may contact The AAPL Collection at hello@aaplcollection.com for more information or to learn about our Media Day at eBay’s headquarters in San Jose, California, on June 7th, 2022. At this event, members of the press will have the opportunity to get hands-on time with the Apple-1 and speak to Mr. Grewal.
